- News
- World
- Americas
- US Crime News
The dog was euthanized in July because of health problems in old age
Ed WhiteMonday 24 November 2025 19:09 GMT
CloseVet sentenced to jail time after refusing to give dog back to homeless owner
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
A Michigan veterinarian has been sentenced to 10 days in jail after refusing to return a dog to a homeless man she found tied to a truck.
Amanda Hergenreder was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution following her conviction for misdemeanor larceny.
Hergenreder's lawyer had sought 120 hours of community service, but Grand Rapids Judge Angela Ross deemed jail more appropriate.
The incident occurred a year ago when Ms Hergenreder, attending a professional conference, discovered the 16-year-old pit bull mix near a coffee shop. She transported the ailing animal two hours to her clinic, where she treated a severe urinary tract infection and removed a rotten tooth.
Prosecutors brought charges after Ms Hergenreder declined to return the dog, named Vinnie by his owner Chris Hamilton, who was without a permanent home at the time. She cited her ethical duties as a vet and the dog's unlicensed status, but a jury ultimately convicted her.
Addressing the judge, Hergenreder stated she saw a "dog in distress" but acknowledged she "failed to see the whole picture." She added: "I failed to honor the bond between Vinnie and Mr. Hamilton. I failed to recognize the heartbreak that would follow. I failed to stop, think, and ask questions."
Vinnie, whom Hergenreder called Biggby, was euthanised in July due to age-related health issues. Defense attorney Miles Greengard expressed disappointment with the jail sentence but found "solace in the fact that Biggby/Vinnie spent his last few months in a warm, safe, loving, caring environment."
“She believed, as I believe, she did the right thing. What is right and what is legal are not always the same thing,” Greengard told The Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Hamilton told WOOD-TV that he had tied the dog to a U-Haul truck while he walked to a gas station. “Never felt the same after losing him,” he said.
